Theresa’s ‘Challenge’ Confession: Allergies In Thailand Made Me Blow Up Like A Big Red Balloon

If you’re allergic to bees, you steer clear of their hives, and unless you’re a camp counselor, sidestepping poison ivy is usually easy enough. But there are certain little venoms that are tough to avoid, and Theresa bore the brunt of her medical sensitivities on her last “Challenge” outing. During “Rivals II” filming in Thailand, Jasmine‘s partner, who’s allergic to coconut and MSG, naturally came into contact with both, and by the time everything was said and done, she was rushed to the hospital in pretty embarrassing condition.

“My face blew up like a big red balloon,” the “Free Agents” cast member recalls in our latest “Challenge” Confessionsclip. “It was not a comfortable situation, so I ate carrots and peanut butter for almost the entire time.” Well, just be glad you’re not allergic to spiders, too, girl — as Coral proved way back on “The Gauntlet,” arachnids can do some real damage to your chances at first place. Make sure to have that EpiPen ready either way!

Listen to Theresa relive the horror of her swelling, and be sure to see her in action when “Free Agents” premieres on Thursday, April 10 at 10/9c

ASHEVILLE — A Black Mountain man who suffered serious injuries in a rock climbing accident earlier this week faces months of recovery, but his overriding emotion Wednesday was gratitude.

I want to put a thank you out to everyone who was involved in the rescue, Jackson DePew, 23, said in an interview from his room at Mission Hospital. Id like to send them my sincerest gratitude.

In the dramatic rescue Monday afternoon at Linville Gorge, rescuers used a Black Hawk helicopter to pluck DePew from a ledge about 200 feet above the ground on Shortoff Mountain.

Ive gotten lots of Facebook messages and phone calls from people who I havent heard from in years, said DePew, an experienced climber. I want to say thank you to everybody whos reached out to me and sent me their best wishes.

DePew suffered a concussion and broken leg and fractured his pelvis in five spots after falling and slamming into the side of the mountain, winding up on a narrow ledge high above the ground. He also broke his tailbone and suffered three broken ribs and a collapsed lung.

The accident happened about 1 p.m. as DePew was climbing the steep rock face from the bottom, using climbing cams metal anchors that fit into crevices and rope as safety equipment, along with a helmet. When he put his left hand on a part of the cliff, it broke loose. He fell about 35 feet before his cams and rope stopped him, keeping him from tumbling all the way to the ground. But he still hit the rock face hard.

His climbing partner, who was still on the ground, saw what happened and called 911.

DePew said he was unconscious for several minutes, then was able to answer a phone call from his partner. He remained conscious throughout the rest of the ordeal. It took about four hours before he was lifted off the ledge in a basket by the helicopter.

I was in an absurd amount of pain, said DePew, a 2013 graduate of Warren Wilson College who started rock climbing six years ago and has been a climbing instructor for three years. It was the most pain Ive ever been in in my life. But I also remember thinking, This is freaking awesome. This is the coolest thing. Theres a Black Hawk helicopter right there. Im just about to get the VIP escort out of here.

Burke County Emergency Management Director Mike Long said one rescuer rappelled down the mountainside while another came down from the helicopter to reach DePew, who was lifted into the helicopter.

The helicopter was dispatched through the N.C. Division of Emergency Management from an Army National Guard unit in Rowan County.

DePew said the accident wont deter him from returning to climbing once his injuries heal. He plans to make a career as a climbing instructor and wilderness expedition leader.

Climbing makes me happier than a lot of things, almost more than anything, he said. Im definitely lucky I didnt get hurt worse. I feel very fortunate. I think Im meant to do something with my life.

Addyson Gale Cessna, weighing 13 pounds and 12 ounces, may be the largest baby ever delivered at Armstrong County Memorial Hospital near Pittsburgh, Pa. The hospital does not keep a record, but doctors involved said they have never delivered a baby that weighed that much.

ACROSS WNY- A hike in the outdoors is a peaceful and beautiful experience, but it always pays to know your surroundings. There are a lot of things in the environment that can cause harm if one is not careful,and many of these organisms are hiding in plain sight, so awareness is key.

Poison Ivy is a perfect example. Dave McQuay of NY State Parks says the plant is abundant throughout the region, and learning to identify it is a must for anyone spending time outdoors.” They always say leaves of three let it be, and often Poison Ivy takes on different forms, it can be a small plant, it can be shrub like, or it can vine up trees.If it vines up, you want to look for the hairy roots going to the bark, usually brown in color.”

Coming in contact with the plant is not fun. Damaging the leaves or stem releases an oily compound called Urishiol which can cause a serious rash on those who are allergic to it. ” The oil leaches out of the leaves” says McQuay ” and absorbs through the seven layers of your skin, your body reacts to that,and it actually causes inflammation and your body produces a rash if you’re allergic to.”

Native to North America,the plant has been thriving for centuries. Throughout the years, Poison Ivy has been both bane and benefit to different cultures. McQuay explains.” One of the first infections a European got in North America was Captain James Cook coming down with a case of Poison Ivy. Native Americans used it, they had different ways to develop immunity,they would use the flexible vines to make baskets, in California they would smoke salmon with the skewers made from Poison Ivy.”

As nasty as it can be to the human species, McQuay says the exact opposite is true with many animals. ” Over sixty species of birds ingest the berries, Black Bears, White Tail Deer, rabbits and muskrat love to eat the seeds . Woodpeckers, warblers and thrushes relish the berries, so it is used by wildlife.”

Poison Ivy also is beneficial to the environment in other ways, so eradication is not feasible. Unfortunately, studies have found that due in part to climate change, the toxic oil that can cause so much damage is also becoming more potent. ” With the increased levels of carbons in the air, the Poison Ivy is becoming five percent stronger in Urishiol oil, which will cause the rash. McQuay continues ” Poison Ivy is definitely getting stronger as our environment changes and warms.”

All of this information is not meant to terrify, only to educate. As with much of our environment, knowledge goes far to keep from turning a hike in the woods to trip to the hospital. ” Learn to identify it, learn to avoid it like you would a poisonous snake, it shouldn’t stop you from going out there and enjoying the great outdoors, and be aware on sunny edges and stream banks and things it can grow there, and that’s a spot you really want to watch for it.”

INDIANAPOLIS — As the weather gets nicer, more and more Hoosiers are hitting the trails and enjoying the great outdoors.

With that comes Mother Nature’s joys and her dangers, including poison ivy.

Dawn Dandeman, a park naturalist at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis, said poison ivy is an itchy annoyance to most people, but not everyone.

“Some people can have a pretty severe reaction that can actually land them in the hospital,” Dandeman said. “So for some people that are very sensitive it can be a lot more serious.”

Identifying poison ivy is key to avoiding it, she said. While it can grow as a vine or a shrub, poison ivy always has three leaves. Dandeman said it likes to grow around edges, including where the forest meets a trail.

Wearing long pants with shoes that cover feet completely could help avoid exposure to poison ivy, but is not foolproof.

“You can still get poison ivy from your clothing,” Dandeman said. “So if you’ve walked through it, you want to take that off and wash it in really good hot water with lots of soap before you touch that again.”

As far as ticks are concerned, Dandeman said she has not heard of many in Eagle Creek Park, but other parts of Indiana are reporting large numbers this year.

Tucking pant legs into socks can help stop deer ticks, which can carry infections like lyme disease, from finding a place to latch on.

If you do find a tick on you, Dandeman recommends taking extra caution in removing it.

“You want to be careful not to break the head off and leave that, mouth parts in your skin. So you can kinda scrape it off sideways with a credit card.”

If there are signs of an infection, possibly a “bullseye” type of red mark around the bite, Dandeman suggests visiting a doctor.